wiredInUSA February 2019

Scottish renewables target

Aluminum export figures

Russia has exported aluminum wires since 2016, although the volume has suffered a year-on-year fall. According to global export-import data, the country’s estimated aluminum wire export in 2016 was 163,279 tonnes, which dropped 5 percent to 155,389 tonnes in 2017. The data also shows that the estimated amount in 2018 is likely to stand at 115,914 tonnes, 29 percent down on 2016 and 25 percent less than that of 2017. Russia’s revenue from aluminum wire export in 2016 was $249 million, which grew in 2017 to $272 million. In 2018, however, the revenue may be around $225 million, 10 percent down from 2016 and 17 percent down from 2017. The US sanctions against Rusal, the leading aluminumproducer in Russia, could be one reason for the 2018 export drop. However, according to the latest report, the United States has offered to remove sanctions from Rusal under certain conditions. Aluminum wires are widely used in home electrical appliances, switches, circuit breakers and motors owing to their light weight, corrosion resistance and retention of temperature, even at low temperatures. They also reduce corona, an electric discharge associated with high power transmission, thus fueling an increasing industry demand.

The Scottish government has set an ambitious target for renewable energy resources to meet 100 percent of the country’s gross annual electricity consumption by 2020. Large onshore wind farms, such as SP Energy Networks’ 88MW KypeMuir wind farm, whereNexans recently provided a 16km 132kV underground grid connection, will play a key role in meeting the target. With a total capacity of over 10GW, Scotland’s renewable electricity generation sector is now over three times the capacity it was at the end of 2008. Onshore wind is the biggest single renewable technology, accounting for over 74 percent of installed capacity. A key element in the wind farm project is the 16km underground cable connection required to link the new 132/33kV SP Energy Networks substation at the Kype Muir site with the existing Coalburn 400/132kV grid substation. SP Energy Networks awarded the contract for the connection to Nexans France with a timescale of just eight months to provide design, manufacture and delivery of the cable, civil works, cable laying, design and supply of the cable accessories, jointing and commissioning.

wiredInUSA - February 2019

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